Intelligence on Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology involves creating or using materials or processes at the nanoscale,
approximately one to one hundred nanometers in at least one dimension.

Growth associated with the manufacture of nano-enabled products is conservatively expected
to be in the several billion dollars range on an annual basis. Significant societal benefits being
realized by advancements in energy, medicine, electronics, information technology,
consumer products, and industrial applications of nanotechnology.

The diversity in nanotechnology drives many challenges. This diversity includes the fact that
nanotechnology has many stakeholders and priorities, involves many industries and
applications and belonging emerging risks. As this diversity is imbedded throughout broad
aspects of nanotechnology, developing a systematic ontology framework for nanotechnology
becomes critical if this enabling technology is to be truly realized, controlled and regulated.

Few industries will not be affected by the influence of nanotechnology. It is about new ways
of making things. It promises more for less: smaller, cheaper, lighter and faster devices with
greater functionality, using less raw material and consuming less energy. Faster computers,
biocompatible materials, surface coatings, catalysts, sensors, telecommunications, magnetic
materials and devices, are just some examples of where nanotechnology has been embraced.

Nanotechnology is expected to revitalize the traditional industries, creating new revenues and
new markets. Nanotechnology requires integration of a variety of disciplines such as:
chemistry, physics, mechanics, materials, electronic and measurement technologies. In terms
of applications, the near term impact is expected to be in traditional industries. In the long
run, the major impact will come from the forefront nanotechnologies, which will enable
orders of magnitude breakthroughs in the performance of products.